All I've Needed
by DrimDram
Summary: B-Dawg hasn't been able to shake the feeling that he just isn't wanted as the holidays near. But one of his brothers is going to change that and show him he matters.


All I've needed

It was nearing Christmas, only about a week or so until the cherished holiday and it could be seen throughout the neighborhood.

All the houses in Fernfield were lit up with all sorts of decorations and lights, everyone was in a jolly holiday mood. Well, almost everyone.

B-Dawg sat outside the front door of his owner, billy's, house. Letting the few snowflakes that fluttered about land and dot his coat with white.

He let out a weak sigh. This had been the 4th time this week he'd been out here while he should be in bed asleep. As of late B-Dawg had begun to question where he stands amongst his siblings and a dog as a whole.

"My whole life I've always tried so hard to look brave or cool but-" he choked on his words.

"I just end up looking stupid and runaway" he'd been telling himself this for what seemed like months now but the admittance still stung.

"And then everyone just laughs" he always had to try and hold back tears when they did.

"Why can't I just be brave like the rest of them, I'm an air bud too right?" He questioned, raising a paw up to where his distinctive "B" chain would be located only to remember he'd been wearing less and less as of lately and tonight was no exception.

"Well I guess that answers that question" he mockingly chuckled to himself.

With that B-Dawg started walking, he didn't know where to but that was normally the case on nights like these.

Speaking of, nights like these were never good to him. All that time alone in the cold with nothing but his thoughts of self doubt. He was beginning to grow increasingly despondent towards his other brothers and sister, he'd even turn down a dance off or a game of basketball with his owner.

When his siblings, usually buddha or rosebud, came to see what the hold up was he'd just give them some excuse.

"Oh fo'sure I'll be there just give me a dawg a minute with his human first, g"

Or some other generalized response that'd get them off his back for a considerable portion of the day. He hardly enjoyed talking in his dated hip-hop slang anymore, just using it as a farce so his siblings would think everything was ok.

As he walked past all the familiar sights of Fernfield, from the town hall to the sheriff's office. He'd be reminded of a different adventure he'd been on and each adventure being a tally of all the times he'd desperately wanted to run away in fear, even when the rest of his siblings kept a cool head.

"My fear" he said to himself.

"Why does it have to be such a large part of me, I don't even know what the rest of me is. But my fear.." he continued.

"It's always there, the part of me I hate the most is the only one I can rely on to be there, through thick and thin"

It was realizations like these that destroyed him the most, the ones that kept him from enjoying the shinning sun the way he used to and dulled the music that once filled him with energy.

"What do my siblings think of me, they probably just tolerate me at this point. I doubt I'd be able to hang around a coward all day, so why should I expect them too" he said to no one in particular.

By now he'd unknowingly walked into the nearby woods but by the time he noticed he was already a ways in.

"Great" B-Dawg said sarcastically.

While he knew his way around the surrounding woodland that didn't make things any less spooky for him, the full moon above at least illuminated some of the snow making things reasonably well lit for this time of night.

B-Dawg began backtracking the way he came, angry at himself for putting himself in this situation and worst of all for the feeling of fear he felt creeping up his spine.

"Alright B' you got this, just get out of the woods and get home" he said trying to calm himself down.

He began to catch his breath when all of a sudden.

Ka-KAW*

The loud unknown noise sent B-Dawg into a full panic attack. He froze up, couching with his paws covering his face.

"P-PLEASE DON'T EAT ME, I'M S-SORRY JUST LEAVE ME ALONE I PROMISE I'M L-L-LEAVING RIGHT NOW!" He yelled from underneath his paws.

After waiting for what seemed like an eternity, B-Dawg uncovered his paws to see what he was sure would be his assailant. What he saw was an owl, perched atop a nearby tree, clearly coughing up something half chewed.

"an owl.." B-Dawg said, staring in disbelief.

"AN OWL, HA!" he said, now much louder.

"WHY CAN'T I BE BRAVE, HUH?! WHY DO I HAVE TO BE THIS WAY!!? DO YOU THINK THIS IS FUNNY, WELL DO YOU?" He screamed to no one but the moon.

He felt sick now, disgustingly sick and light headed. He walked over to a nearby tree and leaned against it.

"why, why can't I be like the others" he said to himself as he began to sob.

The tears felt extra bitter in the cold winter air but he tried his hardest to hold them in.

"why *sniff* just why *sniff*" he pleaded to the surrounding fauna to which he got no reply.

"B-Dawg?" A familiar voice said from behind.

He froze.

"No, not now, anything but this" B-Dawg thought to himself. He was already a wreck on the inside, the last thing he needed was one of his siblings finding out the extent of his inner damage.

"B-Dawg is that you over there?" The voice asked again.

"There was no use now he saw me and was walking over here anyways" B-Dawg thought as he stood up and turned around to face Buddha.

"H-hey Buddha what's up dawg" B-Dawg said trying to save face.

Buddha didn't say anything but just continued to walk up to his brother.

"B-Buddha come on d-dawg aren't you cold let's start headin' home" B-Dawg said becoming nervous by his steady advance.

But buddha just kept walking up to him steadily closing the distance.

"ALRIGHT, I'm sorry I went into the woods on my own OK-" B-Dawg snapped but was cut off mid-sentence by Buddha's next action

"A hug?" B-Dawg thought as he felt his brother embrace him in the quiet.

But Buddha just held on tight.

Then B-Dawg noticed, "Am-am I crying" he thought.

He felt the tears stream with more on the way, Buddha just felt so warm.

It had been so long since he had felt wanted, Buddha's simple gesture bring months of repressed emotions boiling to the surface culminating in an uncontrollable stream of tears. It felt like weight after weight was being taken off his heart.

B-Dawg was still hesitant trying to hold back as he did earlier, but Buddha noticed and simply responded with "it's ok, you're safe" and tightening his hug.

That wore down the remaining barriers in B-Dawg's heart and all his tears began to flow, he buried his face into Buddha who just kept holding him through every sniffle and sob.

It hurt him to see his brother like this but he knew more about emotions than anyone else in the group so that's why everyone had decided it'd be best if he went to see what was up with B-Dawg.

He knew B-Dawg had his walls built when he started avoiding everyone but he never would've thought that they'd have been this high, it hurt that he and his siblings had failed to make a comfortable environment for B-Dawg but he swore that they'd all try harder from here on out. For B-Dawg. For family.

"Buddha?" B-Dawg asked.

"Yeah?" He responded.

"T-thank you" B-Dawg said, finally returning the hug.

"You're my brother B-Dawg, of course" Buddha responded.

And there they hugged underneath the moonlight, B-Dawg finally getting the shoulder he desperately needed to rest his spirit on.

Epilogue

Christmas morning had rolled around and after all the humans had exchanged their gifts and gone off to do their own thing. The air buddies met for their own little Christmas. All of them showing off what their owners had bought them, aside from budderball who already ate his gift.

B-Dawg and Buddha being the last to show up.

"Hey where were you two you?" Rosebud asked but already had a few guesses.

"I was showing Buddha over here some of the sick new beats Billy got for Christmas" B-Dawg replied.

"And I was showing B-Dawg some new yoga poses my owner taught me over the winter break" Buddha followed up.

"You two have been inseparable as of late, kind of like me and breakfast" budderball said.

"Yeah well let's just say old Buddha over here actually has what I've needed for a long while" B-Dawg quipped back.

"What is it? Seconds?" Budderball asked jokingly, getting a good laugh from all the pups around.

All was well in B-Dawg's world for once in a long time and he'd never forget that is was Buddha's help that got him there.

"Come on guys let's go see mom and dad!" Mudbud yelled, running off in their houses direction.

"Last one there is a rotten leftover!" Budderball yelled chasing after mudbud (though being easily overtaken by rosebud)

B-Dawg and Buddha ran side by side their conversation still going.

"Hey B-Dawg" Buddha asked.

"Yeah" B-Dawg replied.

"Thanks for meditating with me" Buddha thanked.

"No problem, spending time with you guys is all I've ever needed" B-Dawg finished.

* * *

**Thanks for reading, just wanted to do a little slice of life short for Christmas with B-Dawg as the main character. Hope you enjoyed!**


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